Accessory for files



Patented June 23, 1953 ACCESSORY FOR FILES Bernhard Tv edt, Simonsvik, near Bergen, Norway Application January 30, 1951, Serial No. 208,479 In'Norway February 2, 1950 z ciaims. (Cl. 129 1s) In the vertical visible archives or filing-systems, the files, cards or the like, hereinafter referred to as files or cards, stand moreor less in a sloping position. They must, therefore, be tilted backwards and forwards when access is to be had to a particular file or card. vThe files or cards thus have a tendency to slide down to the bottom of the drawer or other cabinet in which the files or cards are kept,.thereby falling out of their correct position, the .lower edges of the files or cards at the same time being exposed to hard wear. The weight of the foremost files or cards will partly rest upon the hindmost with the result that the latter are pressed together thus preventing a general view.

There are previously known devices where groups of files or cards in such vertical visible systems are separated by swingable partitions,

which are adjustably fitted to the bottom of the drawer or other cabinet in which these files or cardsare kept. By swinging the top ends of two partitions separatin groups of files or cards,

owing to the aforementioned disadvantages and partly because they are rather complicated and in thus expensive to manufacture.

The present invention is concerned with an improved accessory for use with vertical visible filing systems or archives of the aforementioned type, where groups of files or cards are separated by swingable partitions hinged to the base of the drawer or other cabinet accommodating the files or cards, and the object of .the invention is to,

obtain a simple and cheap arrangement, which can be transported in a disassembled condition and which is easy to assemble and use, and the width of which may be adjusted as required according to-the width of the particular files: or cards the device is to receive. l

The invention is characterised in that the files or cards are carried in an upright position on a base or bases wihch is or are carried by partitions between adjacent groups of files or cards and suspended from supporting rails arranged alongside the side edges of said files or cards. The said base or bases is or are preferably carried by two or more upright partitions, which are parallel to the side edges of the files or cards and of end rests 2, I, 2 and supporting rails 3, 3 formof which one part grips over the supporting rails and another part is'hinged to the base or bases and which further has a part projecting visible above the upper edges of the files or cards. The

said base is preferably subdivided in base secltions, 'two adjacent base sections being supported by a common partition and each base section having means for interlocking it with an adjacentsection so that the base sections can not be displaced in the plane of each other. For

this purpose each base section .along the edges parallel to the records are slotted, through which slots the partitions are inserted so that two adjacent base sections are hinged or linked together.

With an accessory as described two partitions subdividing a group of files or cards may be swung apart from each other, whereby the upper; parts of the partitions slide along the supporting rails while their lower portions remain hinged clearly understood one particular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:' I V Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, Figure 2 is an end view thereof, and Figure 3 is a side elevation. Referring to these drawings, the device comprises a support bent from rigid wire or'lightweight bars. mately 'U-formed end rests or feet, one at each end'of the support and each one of which has astraight part I. The supports l are adapted to rest on a drawer bottom or other surface. From each end .of the straight feet rest I extend an upright 2, thereby forming the complete end rest at each end of the support. The corresponding rails 3 being parallel and their distance somewhat wider than the width or length of the'files or cards 4 adapted to be accommodated between them; .The above described support consisting ing an inset which may be accommodated in a filing drawer or may stand upon a table and carry-the files or cards 4 in question. The support with end rests 2, l, 2 and supporting rails to close the group of Said suppoirt has two approxi- 3, 3 may be bent into the required form from a single length of rigid wire or lightweight bar, whereby the device can be given any desired length, width and depth to be received in a drawer of a particular size.

As shown in the drawings the width of the support may be adjustable, in that the straight part I of'eachendrestis divided'and the tenons thus formed are inserted in a suitable length of tubing 5. By using tubes of different lengths the width of the support between the rails 3 may be adjusted to receive files or cards 4 of any desired length or width.

Alternatively the supporting rails 3 mayber'divided and consist of short tenons extending from the uprights. These tenons may be received in tubing of suitable length which tubingform the supporting rails. Thus the support may be made to fit into drawers of varying length. Thislatter embodiment is described by the way of an example and is not shown upon the drawing.

Between the supporting rails 3 are suspended partitions 6, which in the embodiment shown and described, have the form of frames which are bent from a single length of rigid wire. At its extreme'ends thislength of wire is bent to form hooks l, which grip over the supporting rails 3 insuch a manner that the frames may be: easily hooked upon the supporting rails and again lifted therefrom. The wire is further. bent to.

form uprights 8 and horizontal parts 9, which are somewhat higher than the bottom of the drawer or the supporting surface uponwhich the' support is. adapted to rest, so that the partitions or frames 6 may swing freely upon the supporting. rails 3'. From the horizontal part 9 of the frame extends a separating part II) which projects visibly above the rails 3 and the top end of the files or cards 4 received in the. support, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. These frames I0 form sep-- arating partitions between the different groups into which the files or. cards are subdivided.

The frames 1I0 carry base sections H, on which the files or cards 4- rest, these files or cards being subdivided in groups by said partitions. Along those side edges which are parallel to. the plane of the files or cards 4, that is to say in a direction vertical to the supporting rails 3,

these base sections areslotted 12, through which" slots [2 the frames l0 project. In alignment with each slot 12 and at each end thereof each base section has slots I3, which receive the uprights 8 of thepartitions 6. The base: sections will thus rest upon the horizontal parts!) of the partitions and hangsuspended from the; rails. 3.

Preferably two adjacent basesections ll overlap each other slightly, as shown in Figure 3, in such. a manner that the slots [land I3 along the adjacent edges of two base'sections cover each other. A single partition or frame 6 may thus support two adjacent basesections as shown. Thus the different base sections are linked or hinged together to form a whole, and suspended from the rails 3, in such a manner that the partitions may swing or pivot about their connection.

to the base sections.

From what is described in theforegoing and shown upon the drawings it will be apparent that the files or cards are suitably grouped between each partition 6 and stand in an upright posi- 4 tion resting upon the base sections. It will further be apparent that the weight of the files or cards upon the base sections II will cause the partitions to assume a vertical position and thereby also hold the files or cards in such a position. When two partitions, which enclose a group of files or cards, are swung apart from each other as shown upon Figure 3 in dotted lines, the hooks I will slide along the supporting rails 3. The corresponding group of files or cards will thus be spread apart fan-wise. When the partitions are brought back to their upright position as shown in full lines in Figure 3 this group of files or cards is closed again. Because of the weight of the files or cards on the base sections, the partitions will always tend to assume a vertical position thus holding the files or cards in the same position as previously mentioned.

As shown in the drawings the corner between the uprights 2 and the rails 3 are bent in such a'manner so as to form a stop [4. When swinging the partitions apart the hooks 1 upon the foremost and hindmost partition will bear against said stop 14 when the partitions are spread fanwise. This is in order to secure that the foremost and hindmost partitions shall not unintentionally jump off the rails 3.

What I claim is:

1. In a filing device for cards or the like having spaced parallel supporting rails, transversely extended partitions swingably supported between the rails, said partitions being shaped of stiff wire to have parallel spaced horizontal portions below the level of the rails, upstanding separating frames on said horizontal portions intermediate of their ends with the top ends of said separating frames'projected above the rails and substantially vertical upright portions on the ends of said horizontal portions engaged at their top ends with the rails, a horizontal base section between each adjacent pair of partitions, said base sections having adjacent end portions overlapped and rested down on said horizontal portions, said overlapped end portions having aligned elongated slots through which said upstanding separating frames extend to retain said base'sections against being displaced in the plane of each other.

2. A' filing device according to claim 1, wherein the base sections are of a width greater than the-space between said upright portions at their junctions with said horizontal portions, said overlapped end portions having aligned slots extended in from the side edges'of said base sections and through which said upright portions extend.

BERNHARD TVEDT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

